Its chief instigator was Dr. C. Richard Wells, a member of the founding faculty of Beeson Divinity School, former President of Criswell College, and the Pastor of South Canyon Baptist Church from 2004 to 2009.

The purpose of the institute was to offer affordable, academic theological training in the Black Hills to students, including those transferred from other conforming Christian colleges.

[5] In 2009, Dr. Wells accepted an offer to be the Dean of Chapel at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee and in 2011 returned to Rapid City to restructure the Black Hills Bible Institute into John Witherspoon College, where he was president until 2019.

[1] In April 2024, the college announced that it would close the next month; according to president John Swann, the closure was due to a lack of funding and support from the local community.

John Witherspoon College has hosted various events, including bringing performers such as Michael Card[11] and Ballet Magnificat!